San Juan Capistrano’s city commissions may go through a bit of a shakeup as a proposal to the City Council seeks to eliminate the Transportation Commission, merge two other commissions and reduce the number of members on the Planning Commission.

The ideas are among several presented in a report from Mayor Larry Kramer and Councilman John Taylor after they were appointed to look at the city’s commissions structure.

“These changes will improve and streamline the process of government while still ensuring that the final product is in keeping with the character of San Juan Capistrano,” the report says.

The council is to consider the proposals at its meeting Tuesday, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto. See the full agenda here.

Kramer and Taylor met with all commission leaders and with officials in San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Dana Point and Brea to see how those cities structure their commissions, the report says.

“While our commissions have served the city well, it may be possible to improve them so that their work can be done more efficiently and at a lower cost to the city,” the report says. “Commissions have the distinct advantage of involving more residents in the business of the city. However, the time spent by the staff in preparing for and attending commission meetings is an important consideration.”

Perhaps the most notable change would be reducing the number of planning commissioners to five from seven.

“Almost all commissions at other cities consisted of five members,” the report says.

The proposal also includes changes to how members of city commissions would be appointed. Prospective commissioners, except for students on the Youth Advisory Board, should be interviewed during an open session of the City Council, the report says.

“Commissioners should be voted upon by the council, and those receiving the highest vote should be appointed to the commission,” the report adds.

Other changes would stagger commissioners’ terms.

The Parks, Recreation and Senior Citizens Commission would be merged with the Open Space, Trails and Equestrian Commission to form a seven-member panel called the Open Space and Community Services Commission.

Other proposed changes:

• Reduce the Design Review Committee to three members from five.

• Form an Investment Advisory Committee that would meet quarterly.

• Reduce staff time by making commission meetings less frequent, except for the Planning Commission, which would continue to meet twice a month.

Business leaders who gave input for the report said the commission process needs to be expedited and that the number of times a single commission considers an item should be limited.

SPEED LIMITS

Also on Tuesday, the council will consider changing the speed limits on three road segments:

• Decrease to 35 mph from 40 on Ortega Highway between I-5 and Rancho Viejo Road

The proposed changes come after a citywide speed-limit study.

ALSO ON THE AGENDA:

• Resolution for a mitigated negative declaration and master plan for the Reata Park and Event Center on Ortega Highway in the city’s eastern open space. Approval would mean the city is declaring there would be no significant environmental effects once the project is completed.

• The city’s chief financial officer, Cindy Russell, will present the city’s first-quarter financial report. The staff report says the city’s economy is improving, largely as a result of an 18.2 percent increase in retail sales the past year. The city’s general-fund reserve is projected to have $5.4 million by June, the report says. Projected city revenue is $23.7 million, with $23.5 million in expenditures.

• Councilwoman Laura Freese proposes that the council confirm its policy not to extend San Juan Creek Road eastward and to work with Orange County to remove an extension of the road from the county’s Master Plan of Arterial Highways.

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